Amanda Rogers  Daily News  Immigrant Sun Records  Before I even begin to inform you about this singer/songwriter who plays piano and happens to be female, I would like you to forget the following names: Fiona Apple, Vanessa Carlton, and Alicia Keys. While they do have the instrument and gender in common, I would draw the line there. This record builds on beautiful, brooding piano with layered vocals cascading in and out of the rhythm like dancers in a ballet. I would more quickly compare her to Elliot Smith, One Line Drawing and Portishead. I don't honestly have many words to describe this CD other then this, GO BUY IT! (MC)

An Albatross  Eat Thunder, Shit Lightning  Bloodlink Records  (NOTE: Since this album was originally released in 2001, and I reviewed it then, I don't think I should have to review it all over again when it is the exact same CD. Therefore, you get the exact same review. Here it is...) Even though this EP only has about eleven minutes of music for your CD player, it features over 45 minutes of concert footage as part of the Enhanced portion. If you've ever heard The Locust, you know what An Albatross is like: total chaos in songs that clock in under a minute each. The closest they get to a genre is death metal or hardcore, but they throw in funky keyboards and switch styles a few times per song. (AL)

Beans  Shock City Maverick  Warp Records  Big ups to this former Anti-Pop Consortium member for delivering a solid experiment of funky electro beats and space-aged rhymes. This time around, his third release delivers the goods with more consistency and flare than in the past. The sounds here are intense and atmospheric with an undertone that provides some mystery while bass thumps and futuristic lasers blaze abound. "Down By Law" is the crowd-hyping hip-hop single, "City Hawk" is a mellowed out track that allows Beans to spit freely and "Diamond Halo Grenade" is the battle-ready wordplay exit that finishes this one up with a bang. (JC)

Circus vs. Andre Afram Asmar  Gawd Bless the Faceless Cowards  Mush/Dirty Loop  Very political and unpredictable release with Circus on the mic, and Andre Afram Asmar controlling the boards. There is a lot to take in, starting with the opening track "Bully" and spreading throughout "Holy Blood," which slams George W. and Saddam Hussein, by asking the question, "who really is the one pushing people around?" This release is very compelling, and is so because not only is Circus venting his thoughts, but he also leaves the listener with some food for thought to form their own opinions to. Songs about aliens, paranoia and space sex make for an out-of-earth experience that turns into an intergalactic ride with silly samples of sounds and voices intertwined. (JC)

Diggsville  Songs From Nowhere  Diggsville  Delicious, jazzy, and fresh, Bay Area-based Diggsville has created one of the hippest, grooviest records I have heard in a long time. With solid drums keeping the flow in the rear, we get layers of loungey piano, sax, and sexy, sexy female vocals. Rarely does one hear such a seamless infusion of electronica and jazz-infused funk. They sustain an awesome level of chill, and they don't skimp on the portions either ­ there isn't a jam on this record less than 5 minutes. Lovin' it. (DP)

Heiruspecs  A Tiger Dancing  Razor & Tie  Best hip-hop album of the year. Yeah, I just said it. This is the freshest of 2004. The thing that blows my mind is how, with a seven-year history, I'd never heard of them. St. Paul (Minnesota) should be proud to have nurtured these five musical artists in a way that led them to form Heiruspecs (all the way back in high school). Now, these mature musicians are truly ready to blast the world with their intelligent, infectious, all-live brand of hip-hop, 17 tracks worth. Live drumming is the ultimate improvement when it comes to hip-hop. It adds a raw, real energy that hip-hop deserves; it makes the music sound more alive. Add in a phat live bassline and some jazzy keys and you've got my full attention. Blast me with dope rhymes and a bit of beatbox and I'm now your biggest fan. An album like this can actually make your day better  it's just that good. (CM)

Jean Grae  This Week  Orchestral/Babygrande  Could this be the album that awakens the masses that have slept on this talented emcee? The third release from Jean Grae finds her boosting with much more confidence then ever before while she delivers though-provoking rhymes and intriguing narratives with raw prowess. The production is a step up from previous efforts with beats coming from Midi Mafia and 9th Wonder, among others, which possess hints of familiarity and progressiveness all in one. Grae flows with ease on this release, delivers smoothed-out hooks and touches on topics about betrayal, originality and nostalgia as she manages to tie together this collection with the material that has preceded it. You'd be hard pressed to find as much substance and emotion wrapped up inside anything coming out this fall. (JC)

Josh Goode Band  Fact Of The Matter  self-released A really great disc. It seems strange that the good ones are never long enough and the bad ones go on and on. This EP is an amazing blend of styles, which amalgamate into something new and wonderful. Energetic and fun, this disc highlights the excellent musicianship and talent of this band. (MK)

MONO  Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined  Temporary Residence Ltd.  For about the first three minutes of this album, you think it is one of those atmospheric albums with no songs that will put you to sleep in no time flat. But then, slowly, the guitars and drums start to creep in, setting you up for the explosive crescendo that inevitably follows. The entire instrumental album follows a similar pattern, building up tension and then releasing it. Truly excellent. (AL)

Monty Love  Girls Are The New Boys  Immigrant Sun  This is an incredibly fun punk rock album. Besides being downright irresistible, it's also really fucking good. Hook-filled and loaded with aggressive energy, Staten Island's Monty Love grabbed me with track one and I didn't want to let go until the record was long over. This is not your typical, formula punk rock; Monty Love takes influence from hardcore, garage and classic rock as well as a variety of punk styles. There are melodic, almost poppy songs followed by a screamfest with badass tempo changes followed by a sweat-drenched rock tune. This is serious rock and roll, folks, from start to finish. (CM)

Rob Sonic  Telicatessen  Definitive Jux  Gotta respect an artist that does his own production and even delivers on the mic throughout an entire album. Rob Sonic has hooked up with El-P's record label and created something that's bound to keep heads nodding alongside elaborate sounds and steady rhyme flows. Once the main man in Sonic Sum, Rob has stepped to the head of the underground class on this release that is a dive inside a man's mind about living through his experiences in the past and in the present. Consistently infectious from front to back, beats are a combination of electro-synth and thumping drums that blend perfectly with Rob's style, and ultimately becomes the highlight throughout. (JC)

Saul Williams  Saul Williams  Fader Label  Poetry-slam veteran Saul Williams has released a solid sophomore album of chaotic sounds and deep thoughts. The trippy beats, which bounce between electro and hip hop with elements of metal, are an in-depth look inside the many sides of this revolutionary. What Saul describes as punk-hop, is packed with enough punk attitude to cause the consciousness to open up within all of us. The blending of cultures is just another way for Saul to get his message out, to provoke thoughts from listener's minds if not for the sake of just thinking. Don't expect to simply sit through spoken word pieces; this release is another example of this style progressing further than that. (JC)

Savath & Savalas  Mañana  Warp Records  For those (like myself) who thoroughly enjoyed last year's Apropa't, there is now an eight song EP for your listening pleasure. Mañana builds on the atmosphere created in Apropa't, with Eva Puyelo's sultry singing and Savath & Savalas (AKA Scott Herren) providing some Brazilian/Spanish influenced music. Having made a 180-degree turn from his usual hip-hop influenced electronica, he may have disappointed some fans, although the album was critically acclaimed. In what seems like a bridge between the two worlds, he sometimes puts Puyelo's vocals through his slice 'em and dice 'em process. Then he adds some beats here and there, as if slowly wanting to bring back his audience to familiar territory. (AL)

Slim Cessna's Auto Club  The Bloody Tenant Truth Peace  Alternative Tentacles  The country music that gets played on the radio has nothing on alt-country rockers Slim Cessna's Auto Club. Their newest studio release is packed from front to back with chaos, a steady pickin' of the guitar, and catchy rhythms that pull you in with chanting impulses. Taking the old-style country approach and incorporating some down-home styled rock n' roll, the Auto Club gets down to some gritty banjo pickin' and wild storytelling. Influences by the likes of Johnny Cash, Ennio Morricone and Nick Cave come out in song, but we all know who's the ones hosting this party. Gitty up boys! (JC)

Summer Of '92  Bullet  Bad Samaritan Records  As with most acoustic music, there is so little in-between. There are only really highs and lows, Summer Of '92 is monumentally high. The quick parallel I'd draw would be them and Rumbleseat (acoustic Hot Water Music side-project). Pure emotion, gruff vocals, and raw heart. "This Song is a Bullet" while giving my spine a coldness I didn't expect, is almost a song you shouldn't be able to pull off with just an acoustic guitar. That kind of shiver, that kind of power, from that kind of song is usually reserved for only the best hardcore bands. I couldn't recommend a recording any higher than my recommendation for this one. (KM)

The Great Depression  Unconscious Pilot  Princess Records  Fans of hauntingly beautiful music, meet the Great Depression. Unconscious Pilot is a superbly crafted album of ethereal, shoegazing rock. Combining elements of My Bloody Valentine, Sigur Ros, and Red House Painters, the Great Depression create a fascinating, expansive soundscape that draws you in with repeated listens. Good, good stuff. (CL)

Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant  Sister Phantom Owl Fish  Ipecac Recordings  Trevor Dunn's membership in bands like Fantômas and Mr. Bungle should give you the impression that he likes making offbeat music. His music with Trio Convulsant is no exception, except it leans more toward jazz improvisation than metal meltdowns. There are some power chords and distorted guitars, but the overall vibe is a bit mellower. Anyone who likes not knowing where a song can go will like this album. (AL)